Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Upper Peninsula Michigan.

As you can see I made a big loop...since I had the invite to St Ignace I slowly made my way back up to the south shore of Lake Superior which is the Upper Peninsula area of Michigan. Lucky for me it was not that far, to come back to from St Ignace.  Anyway when I left my playful otters alone and got tucked in for the night it began to rain and it poured all night.  I ended up getting soaked taking Casey for his morning walk and he did too...both had to dry our coats out as we traveled north to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.  NOW IF I was not on a budget I would have taken the 2 and half hour boat tour around the rocks you can see so much more from the water, but IT was pouring rain and I had not made any reservations and I get sea sick on rocking boats sooooo I just made the best of it.  Got my plastic poncho out and hiked in the rain with my camera under plastic.  I began at Grand Marais and went west to Munising, MI on H-58, The first stop I made along this route was the hike to Sable Falls.  Its about 3/4 mile round trip to the overlook. 

                                       

                                                   

    

                                                      

                                        

And this is my first view of the sand dunes! This area is the log slide they actually used to slide logs down this sandy chute to the water below to be barged together and shipped out to lumber companies!

It was still drizzling and foggy but I got a look at the Au Sable Lighthouse. 

Freighter on Superior 

here is the upper part of the log slide chute...

I totally did not get the name of this river as it empties into Lake Superior, but its the Sable Beach here and I took a walk...

Saw this red spotted eastern newt hanging out in the shallows!

then I hiked to Miners Falls...very impressive 40 ft drop and with the rain really flowing big!

passed these awesome lichens on the trail 

Gorgeous color!! Then I went to the Miners Castle Overlook...

the water color is spectacular here too!

it reminds me of Lake Powell in Utah with the red colored rocks...

and there was at least one arch visible from my overlook!  Thats one of the tour boats in the water there...

I hiked over to stand at the top of the Castle...

then I walked down to the beach where a kayak tour was just finishing up it looks warm but the water is 40 degrees!

wish the day hadn't been so rainy in the morning...but it got better! I drove to Munising Michigan not far from the Pictured Rocks Boundary and viewed their falls...

Really awesome!!  The mud ....NOT so Much!

after checking the map I decided to head back east on 58H again and to Iroquois Point to see their lighthouse before I entered Canada!!  

I made a stop in Grand Marias on my back East....and saw their lighthouse and mailed a few postcards  and bought a few more stamps!  

Had lunch in the shelter...

I'm so far behind it was 9/7/16 when I was in this area!! I may never get to share it all good thing Im writing it all down in a journal!

Next up I stayed at Whitefish Bay Camp this night...then entered Canada 

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.

Seney WLR, Michigan's UP

I had the Mackinac bridge in my rearview mirror as I headed west on Hwy 2 a scenic byway of the Northwestern shores of Lake Michigan.  It was a bit windy and hazy on that Monday.  I stopped at many roadside overlooks and took photos..this one had a distant Lighthouse...there are MANY Lighthouses in the Upper Peninsula...this one as I found out is Epoufette. 

and a little closer...

I saw some movement in these reeds and pulled over for a closer look..the golden rods were at peak in this area...

But this is what I saw moving in the distance.  He was way in the back just beyond the water on the left...

sandhill crane

Only one alone....solo traveler like me!  I turned and headed up highway 77 north to Seney Wildlife Refuge.  There was a Unit up at Whitefish bay and I did walk that section.  I spotted a couple red breasted nuthatches, but that was about it...many were out with scopes looking for piping plovers I thought I saw one but the fellow with a scope shot down my theory and said its a killdeer...oh shucks.

I saw more Red Breasted Nuthatches on the boardwalk trail also. 

There is so much fresh water up here it amazes me to think we could ever run out of water? Every 5 ft there is a lake or pond or swamp...its amazing!  I saw other forest birds on the boardwalk and the trails leading off it...like these guys.

the black capped chickadee

Yellow Rumped Warbler

the Hermit Thrush

the swamp sparrow

and more red squirrel

they run right in front of you then up to a tree to hide..lol  The trail was lined with rose hips I bet it was awesome when these wild roses were blooming..

There is a nice visitors center and they showed us a movie too..

It's surrounded by water on 3 sides, I saw this line of wood ducks..

After the boardwalk hike I did the Marshland Drive its 7 miles in length...and there is water everywhere...

there's over 70 Trumpeter Swans that call these waters home...

the reddish on the neck is caused by the tannin in the water...
One of my very favorite birds here was the common loon still in breeding plumage!

there were pied billed grebes and ring necked ducks around too...females here 

a  Eagle was on the nest while the mate hunted...

so many beautiful landscapes were around every corner...

Once I had finished the marshland drive I continued north on 77 to find camping for the night.  I had seen a little dot on the Map for a Forest Service camp not far away...East Fox River.   So that's where  I ended this day.  Got a good spot right close to this small lake...

had a small balcony for fishing and for me  a place to sit and relax 

there was resident Mallards...

and what's this??? Not one but 2 River Otters!

I enjoyed watching them for a while and then they realized I was there and began to hiss at me...check out this video..

I've been lucky with getting sites with electric lately and wifi has worked. Hope this trend continues as I have a lot to share and it gives me something to do when the sun goes down besides listen to Casey snore...IT poured rain in the night and we got soaked in the morning going out for his walk...

..In real time I'm about 2 weeks behind with the blogging... and I've covered many miles!! AND Im still many miles from home.  As of today (9/18)  I have about 14-15 days to get my tuckus back home. 

ON ward we go.

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.